The present invention relates to a spray arch for a vehicle wash system and in particular an arch that is mounted to a pair of side supports and continuously curved upward and over the path of travel of a vehicle being washed. Preferably the arch is made of a flexible conduit or pipe that is hand manipulated to the curved position spanning over the vehicle path and held in place by the side supports.
Automated vehicle wash systems typically include one or more spray arches spanning over a path along which vehicles being washed travel. The arches are typically of a rectangular shape having a pair of vertical side supports extending upward from the wash floor and a generally horizontal crossbar at the top of the side supports, extending over the vehicle path. While such a rectangular arch provides adequate clearance for many shapes and sizes of vehicles, a short vehicle will not receive any benefit from the spray nozzles located at the upper ends of the supports. These nozzles will spray horizontally over the vehicle. These nozzles are only useful in washing the upper portion of a larger vehicle such as a van. The water, soap and other chemicals discharged from these upper nozzles when washing a small vehicle are largely wasted.
To avoid the waste of water and chemicals, the present wash arch is configured as a curve spanning over the path of travel between two side supports. The nozzles are oriented to spray radially inward of the curved arch. As a result, all of the nozzles are directed toward the vehicle, regardless of the vehicle size.
In a preferred environment, the arch consists of a pair of side supports along the two longitudinal sides of the vehicle path of travel. A flexible pipe is attached to the supports on each side, and curves upward above the supports and over the vehicle path. The spray nozzles are mounted directly to the pipe and are in fluid communication with the pipe interior to receive the spray fluid. Preferably the pipe is made of PVC and is flexible so that permanent preforming of the pipe into a curve shape is not required. The flexible PVC pipe is hand manipulated to bend the pipe to form the arch. The attachment of the pipe to the two side supports holds it in place.
The attachment of the side supports to the pipe is at a height within the range of 40-60 percent of the overall height of the arch from the vehicle floor. Preferably, the pipe extends downward from the uppermost attachment along the support toward the wash system floor. Nozzles along the two sides are directed toward the sides of the vehicle being washed. The pipe is preferably attached to the side supports at multiple vertically-spaced locations on each side. The pipe may curve along the sides at a different radius from the curvature above the two supports. Along the two sides the pipe will typically have a larger radius of curvature.
The arch can be constructed of one or more pipes extending between the two side supports. If multiple pipes are used, the pipes are coupled together along the curved arch at various locations between the two side supports to enhance the stiffness of the arch and prevent it from bending forward or rearward along the vehicle path of travel.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.